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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783032">Love Bites (so do chihuahuas)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacNoctua/pseuds/LilacNoctua'>LilacNoctua</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, First Dates, First Kiss, Implied/Referenced Animal Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mild Language, Shukaku as a chihuahua, Sleep Deprivation, consumption of inadvisable amounts of caffeine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:22:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,752</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783032</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacNoctua/pseuds/LilacNoctua</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>And now here they were, Gaara terrified and out of breath, heart pounding with adrenaline and caffeine, Shukaku snarling like some type of hellspawn, his lips drawn back so far that Gaara could see his black gums and the pink of his tongue behind his teeth.<br/>And the man on the path in front of him was grinning at him, and giving him a thumbs up.</i>
</p><p>Shukaku has brought nothing but trouble since Gaara adopted him, but when he tries to pick a fight with a much larger dog on a morning walk, he and Gaara both find themselves in for way more than they had bargained for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gaara/Rock Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>GaaLee Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love Bites (so do chihuahuas)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Almost_sad/gifts">Almost_sad</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic fills the prompt "Pet Dads" for Gaalee Bingo. The concept for this fic, and the ideas for all of the good scenes came from Sadface, who also was kind enough to beta read and provide endless encouragement and artistic inspiration. (I'm sorry if I worried you by drinking that much espresso for research.)</p><p><b>Content Warning:</b> Please be aware that this fic contains references to past animal abuse and child abuse, one of the dogs in this fic displays fearful, anxious and aggressive behaviours. There is a fair amount of coarse language, and some sexually suggestive language.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I’m up, I’m awake. See, I’m moving and everything,” Gaara mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he stumbled to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chihuahua leapt off the bed and followed after him, still yapping and snarling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least you didn’t pee on my pillow this time,” Gaara sighed. He checked his phone. It was just past five in the morning, meaning he had slept for a little over an hour, which was. . . an improvement. Kankuro had sent him a series of texts some time earlier which were all so badly misspelled that Gaara could barely make out that he was drunkenly rhapsodizing about how much he loved both his little brother and chicken wings. He hadn’t realized he had stopped walking as he read them until a set of tiny, needle-sharp teeth clamped around his big toe. Gaara yelped and dropped his phone on his other foot. The tiny dog skittered backwards and took cover under Gaara’s dresser.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara stood with his hands on his knees for a moment, taking deep breaths to collect himself as the throbbing pains in both toes subsided. He scooped up his phone, stuck it in the pocket of his pajama pants and laid down on the floor so he could see the little dog among the dust bunnies beneath his dresser.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shukaku,” he called softly. “Come on out. I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t hurt you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing happened, the dog remained hunkered down in a miserable little ball of quaking limbs, ear’s flattened, bug-eyes wide. Gaara momentarily considered just going back to sleep right here on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Shukaku,” Gaara tried again. “You want breakfast don’t you? You want to go for a walk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At those words, the dog made a tiny wuff of agreement and its tail wagged once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please come out,” Gaara begged, careful to keep his voice low and gentle. “I’m too tired for this today. I’ll let you have some bacon if you come out now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He patted the floor between them and the dog eyed his hand speculatively. He had learned the hard way on their first day together not to try to reach in and just pull him out. Shukaku began to inch forwards on his belly, ears still low, licking his lips anxiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, Shukaku. Good boy,” Gaara crooned as the dog sidled up close enough to cautiously sniff his hand. “Are we okay now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He risked a cautious pat on Shukaku's head. Gaara stood up slowly, taking care to telegraph each of his movements so that he wouldn’t frighten his tiny charge again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just like his father, he thought bitterly as he stumbled into the kitchen, to leave him with an inheritance that wouldn’t let him relax even in his own home. He scooped dog food into a dish and refilled the water bowl, then trekked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and splash cold water on his face. Frantic yapping alerted him to his mistake and he yanked the bathroom door open. Shukaku collided with his ankles, still half panicked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still here,” Gaara said wearily. “We do this every morning. I’m not going to just vanish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And therein lay the crux of this whole situation. When they had received news of Rasa’s death, Gaara and his siblings hadn’t even known that he had a dog. In fact, when they found Shukaku in the filthy bathroom of his dilapidated apartment, Gaara wasn’t even sure Shukaku actually was a dog. He was tiny, bug eyed, constantly trembling. His translucent skin had shown through in veiny blue and purple where patches of his sparse, tan fur were missing, every delicate, birdlike bone visible beneath. Temari had worried that surrendering a dog like this to a shelter would be a death sentence, but Gaara had seen the relief in her eyes when her husband had reminded her how much trouble it would be to care for a dog with a baby on the way. Kankuro’s life was too unsettled; dogs needed routine, stability, a place to feel safe. In short, dogs needed everything that Gaara had struggled to build for himself through years of hard work and the help of a therapist. He couldn’t leave the poor creature to try to muddle through on his own. And so here he was, weeks later, trying to shuffle into a pair of jeans and one of Kankuro’s old hoodies one-handed, with a tiny chihuahua tucked under his arm because every time he tried to set him down he howled and cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara caught a glimpse of himself in the floor length mirror by the door as he was lacing his boots on, slower than usual as Shukaku eyed his shoelaces suspiciously, teeth bared. He hadn’t bothered to comb his hair, and smudges of yesterday’s eyeliner still clung to his lash line, mascara flecks dotted his cheek bones. He scrubbed the sleeve of his hoodie across his face in a half hearted attempt at cleaning it up. He didn’t have the energy to even try finger combing his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, little guy,” Gaara said, clipping on the leash. “You kept me up all night. Again. So we’re stopping for coffee on the way to the park. How’s that sound?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shukaku did not answer, but followed him down the front steps happily enough, long black claws clicking on the cement. Gaara’s favourite coffee shop, mercifully located right between his apartment and the park, was all soothing dark colours and the scent of freshly ground beans. Gaara scooped Shukaku up and huddled him into the pocket of his hoodie as he stepped inside. The barista took one look at him and winced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walk of shame?” He asked pleasantly, nodding at the hoodie that was obviously far too large.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walking the dog,” Gaara grumbled in response. The hoodie’s pocket began snarling loudly. “I’m going to need a large black coffee with three espresso shots.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Dead Eye,” the barista said, nodding. He considered Gaara’s appearance again. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the sympathy.” Gaara leaned against the counter and scowled as the barista prepared his drink with a smug smile still pasted onto his face. He patted his pocket as the growling and snarling intensified along with the whirr of the espresso machine, and muttered “Can we please try to have an uneventful morning for once, Shukaku?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bruce!” Lee shouted down the hallway into the silence of his house. “Come on, boy! It is time to run!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Neji groaned from behind a closed door. Anything else he might have said was drowned out by a thundering noise as a shaggy, black Newfoundland dog the size of a pony flew down the hall and collided with Lee’s chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bruce!” Lee shouted again, catching the dog in the middle of its leap. “It is the springtime of our youth and we will beat yesterday’s time for sure!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dog’s massive furry tail whacked back and forth between Lee’s shoulder and the door jamb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut. Up.” Tenten snapped from behind her bedroom door, her voice somewhat muffled as though she had a pillow or blanket pulled up over her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not wanting to disturb his friends any further, Lee hoisted the enormous dog over his shoulder, finished pulling his running shoes on with his free hand (no easy task when he was being repeatedly smacked in the face by Bruce’s tail) and dashed out the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They broke into a run as soon as their feet hit the pavement, making a beeline for the park where the woodland trails would still be silent and shrouded in mist this early on an autumn morning. The sun was still sleepily trying to climb out of the pink streaked eastern sky and the air was crisp and cool in their lungs, each breath a trailing cloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their muscles were warm and full of energy by the time they reached the dirt track that meandered through the trees, auburn leaves rustling underfoot. Lee unclipped the leash and tied it around his waist for safe keeping. His enthusiastic whoop was answered by a joyful bark and they both lengthened their stride.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dogs were allowed to run freely in this park but Gaara still kept Shukaku on his leash and close by. They hadn’t been together long enough for Shukaku to fully trust him, or for Gaara to be able to predict his behaviour with confidence. He knew the chihuahua was not fond of strangers and was becoming overprotective of Gaara, so they avoided other people, and he did not want to learn about Shukaku’s attitude towards other dogs through an uncontrolled chance encounter in the park. The vet had said to take it slowly, baby steps. So they only walked in this park early in the morning when no one else was around, with Shukaku on a short leash or huddled in Gaara’s arms, growling at squirrels. They both liked it here, it was peaceful, smelled of greenery, and for a few moments they could almost forget they were in the city.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat on a bench in the sun for a while, his hood pulled up against the morning chill, sipping his caffeine slurry and feeling his brain beginning to slowly tick back to life, as Shukaku contentedly sniffed around in the grass at his feet. The caffeine rush would be short lived, he knew, but maybe if Shukaku’s good behaviour continued, and he was given a tiny bit of bacon as a bribe, Gaara would be able to doze off for an hour or two this afternoon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He drained the last of his coffee, shook himself, and set off with Shukaku towards the forest path. Tired though he might be himself, trying to tire the dog out as well was worth the effort of a longer walk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They hadn’t made it far when Shukaku suddenly froze, his stubby tail pointing straight upwards, ears on alert, a high pitched continuous growl rumbling beneath his fragile rib cage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shukaku,” Gaara soothed, kneeling down beside him. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shukaku ignored him, enormous eyes fixed on the undergrowth, trembling like a leaf from the end of his snout to the tip of his tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Shukaku,” Gaara said, reaching to pick the little dog up. Shukaku took off like a shot, Gaara lunged for him too late. There was a snapping sound and the leash went slack. Gaara picked up the trailing end to find Shukaku’s collar dangling, the cheap plastic clasp cracked right down the centre.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swore viciously under his breath, fighting the urge to yell in case he scared Shukaku into hiding, and stood up slowly. He would need to be careful about this. If he went crashing into the woods after Shukaku, he was liable to make this much worse. But standing on the trail waiting for him to come back didn’t feel right either. He was still standing rooted to the spot, trying to strategize when he heard the high pitched, frantic crying of a frightened dog. He took off running.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee checked his pace and heart rate on his watch, both right on target. He sidestepped a muddy spot in the trail and then skidded to an abrupt halt, nearly falling, when he heard Bruce’s terrified yelps and whines from the underbrush. Bruce’s cries were accompanied by a vicious, unearthly snarling. Maybe a weasel? He hoped it wouldn’t be another skunk. Neji was still emotionally scarred by the last skunk accident and wouldn’t let Lee forget it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened his mouth to call for his dog, just as Bruce came barreling out of the woods, tail tucked between his legs, the whites of his eyes showing, crying at the top of his lungs. He leapt for the safety of Lee’s arms and Lee just barely managed not to be bowled over by the weight of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The source of his terror came charging after him, tiny legs a blur beneath him as he ran, miniature fangs bared. At first, Lee wasn’t sure what the animal was. It had long black nails, tan fur, enormous eyes like black marbles, and all three pounds of it absolutely seethed with fury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. . . a chihuahua?” he said to himself as the tiny monster leapt around his knees, snarling and snapping. Bruce whined and tried to haul himself higher onto Lee’s shoulder. The chihuahua jumped up and grabbed the hem of Lee’s jogging shorts with its teeth. It hung there, snarling, claws scrabbling against the fabric of his leggings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shukaku!” A young man sprinted around the corner and skidded to his knees on the trail beside Lee. “Shukaku! Stop it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pried the chihuahua’s jaws open, pulled him away from Lee and stumbled backwards. Holding the dog tightly against his chest, he struggled to catch his breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” He gasped out, not looking at Lee as he desperately attempted to soothe a squirming, still growling Shukaku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee only stared at the man in front of him. His hair was a shade of red so bright that Lee doubted it could possibly be real, though he saw no traces of another colour at the roots. It was done in an artfully disheveled style and there was the edge of something that might have been a tattoo sticking out from under the bangs above his left eye. His eyes were sea green and carelessly smudged with black eyeliner. Lee had never imagined it was possible for someone to look both dangerously handsome and adorable at the same time. He was wearing a black hoodie with a heavy metal band logo on the front that was about three sizes too big for him. Lee figured he must be some kind of musician, or perhaps an artist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” the man said again. “His collar broke and he ran.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice sounded choked up and Lee could see the panic on his face, so he smiled as widely as he could, gave his best thumbs up and said, “Do not worry! No harm done! I am just happy we could help you find him!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shukaku’s tiny legs flailed as he struggled to launch himself out of Gaara’s arms in order to attack the mass of black fur that appeared to be struggling to take shelter on top of the other man’s head. Never in Gaara’s worst imaginings since he had taken in Shukaku, had he even considered something like this happening. He had been so careful about his exposure to other dogs and people. One baby step at a time. </span>
  <span>And now here they were, Gaara terrified and out of breath, heart pounding with adrenaline and caffeine, Shukaku snarling like some type of hellspawn, his lips drawn back so far that Gaara could see his black gums and the pink of his tongue behind his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the man on the path in front of him was grinning at him, and giving him a thumbs up. </span>
  <span>Maybe it had something to do with the way the autumn sunlight fell, golden, across the man’s face, or maybe it was just that all that caffeine was starting to make him dizzy but Gaara was momentarily blinded. He blinked a few times, waiting for the woozy feeling to pass and the man’s face to come back into focus again. His black bowl cut was damp around the edges with sweat, he had huge, dark eyes beneath improbably thick eyebrows. Green spandex athletic gear clung to a tall, muscular frame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for being so understanding,” Gaara managed to say. “I haven’t had Shukaku very long and he’s, well, sort of a rescue I guess you could say. I still can’t quite predict what he’ll do or what he’s capable of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man waved one hand as though to brush Gaara’s apologies away. “My roommates and I foster dogs sometimes. I know it can be difficult when they come from a bad situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara could only nod. “A bad situation, yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is lucky to have someone who cares about him so much now,” the man went on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - Um, thank you.” Gaara hesitated. “Is your dog hurt at all? I’ll pay for any vet bills he might have because of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not think that will be necessary,” the man said, smiling dazzlingly again. “Bruce is just a big crybaby. Aren’t you, Brucey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant black dog began wagging his tail, repeatedly smacking the man across the chest with a resounding </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest, even when the dog licked his ear. Gaara was suddenly absurdly jealous of this dog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Rock Lee, by the way.” His tone had turned conversational, as though they had been talking about the weather and not a savage chihuahua.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Gaara,” Gaara replied. “But are you sure he’s not hurt? He made a lot of noise. Shukaku is fully vaccinated now, but I’d feel horrible if your dog got an infection from a bite or something. And he. . . he bit you too. Are you sure you’re alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was just my shorts. You do not need to worry about those,” Lee reassured him. “But let’s see about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee swung Bruce off his shoulder, flipping him upside down and cradling him like a baby. It was then that Gaara realized how truly massive this dog was; he wouldn’t have been surprised if Bruce weighed more than he did. And yet here Lee was handling him as though he were a toddler.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get bit, Bruce?” Lee asked, inspecting the dog’s legs, paws and belly. “No? You were just being bullied? The little dog was just very scary?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce continued to wag his tail, his broad pink tongue lolling out of his mouth, a string of saliva hanging from his drooping jowls. Lee laughed at him and blew a raspberry against the dog’s belly. Bruce squirmed free and bounded towards Gaara as soon as his paws hit the ground. He immediately turned tail and leapt back into Lee’s arms when Shukaku growled at him. Lee caught him, muscles flexing visibly under his tight running jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See,” he said cheerfully. “He is just a big baby. No harm done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holding Shukaku tightly against his chest, Gaara reached out and gave Bruce a tentative scratch behind the ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t he kind of big to be carrying like this?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I carried him everywhere as a puppy,” Lee explained. “I would have felt awful if I had had to stop once he got bigger, so I hit the gym harder in order to be strong enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s. . . “ Gaara couldn’t find a word to describe that type of devotion. He had gone to great lengths already to give Shukaku a chance to recover and felt proud of how much weight the tiny dog had put on, how much fur had grown back, how much progress his behaviour had made. But it just wasn’t the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still learning about dogs,” Gaara admitted. “I never had one before. I just sort of. . .inherited Shukaku, I guess. It’s been difficult.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are doing just fine!” Lee assured him, shifting his dog over to one arm so that he could give Gaara another thumbs up. “I have a lot of experience with dogs. I can give you some pointers if you want.” Then he snorted. “Ha! Pointers! That is a type of dog!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. I could definitely use any help I can get,” Gaara said, refusing to stop to consider why he was so thrilled about the idea of getting to speak to this strange man again. “And please, let me give you my contact info in case it turns out that your dog has an injury you haven’t noticed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bruce is in the springtime of his youth, and completely unhurt, other than his dignity,” Lee assured him. “But if you are offering to give me your number, I will not say no to that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fished his phone out of his pocket, swiped away from the app with his work out data, and opened the contacts before passing it over. Gaara entered his name and number, with some difficulty since his hands seemed to be overly jittery all of the sudden, and returned the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks!” Lee said. His thumb moved across the keyboard and Gaara felt his own phone vibrate in the back pocket of his jeans. “Now you have my number too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara nodded. “Let me know, please, if there is anything at all I could do to make this up to you. I really feel awful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Lee seemed to think about it for a moment and his wide grin turned almost bashful. “What if you let me buy you dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I . . . what?” It took Gaara a moment to catch up. “I should be the one buying you dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could get the second one,” Lee offered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to make sure I’ve got this right,” Gaara said slowly. “My dog attacked your dog, and you’re not mad about it at all. Instead you’re asking me out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee threw his head back and laughed. Bruce howled along with him, which only made Lee laugh harder. Shukaku started yapping and Gaara had to bundle him into his pocket to calm down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry!” Lee said, in what Gaara was sure he thought passed as a whisper. “I did not mean to upset him. It is just that when you put it that way it sounds insane.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that is what you meant?” Gaara prompted</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, yes. If you would like to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara considered his answer carefully. Lee may look better in spandex than any man had a right to, and radiate the type of kindness and happiness that drew Gaara like a magnet, but he was still just a stranger that Gaara had met on an early morning walk in the woods. He hesitated, watched Lee standing there with a human sized dog draped across his shoulder, eyes wide and hopeful as he chewed his lip anxiously. Gaara knew he would have spent the rest of the day thinking about him even if they had met under less chaotic circumstances. If Lee was someone whose path he crossed regularly, he’d be the type that Gaara would admire from afar while cursing himself for not having the courage to ask him out. So he found himself saying, “Only if you’ll let me buy dinner, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’ll tell me everything you know about dogs. Text me when you decide where you want to go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tonight?” Lee asked eagerly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara was pretty sure his heart was vibrating instead of beating. His soul was floating somewhere outside of his body. He really needed to lay down. But there was very little chance that Shukaku was going to let him sleep again before he actually dropped dead so he might as well enjoy what was left of his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” he agreed. “Why not?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Gaara got home, he had managed to convince himself that the whole thing had been some sort of hallucination induced by sleep deprivation and caffeine. He let Shukaku rest in the pocket of his hoodie while he cooked breakfast for himself, including one extra strip of bacon that he hoped would earn him the privilege of a much needed afternoon nap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was just settling down on the couch with his plate when his phone buzzed in his back pocket. There were two text messages under a number he didn’t recognize. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first read: HELLO! THIS IS LEE (AND BRUCE)!!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it hadn’t been some sort of bizarre dream that combined his worst fears about his dog and his strangest fantasies about knights in shining spandex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second text read: DO YOU LIKE BARBEQUE? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From any one else, Gaara would have found the all caps texting irritating and pushy, but having heard the way Lee talked, he found it oddly endearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with me, Shukaku?” Gaara muttered. “How have I already got a crush on a guy I met for two seconds because you tried to pick a fight with a dog that’s fifty times your size? What the fuck was in that coffee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shukaku answered by sneezing messily on the remnants of Gaara’s breakfast. He sighed and set the plate aside to let the dog finish off the eggs while he typed a reply to Lee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He actually was good looking, right? I didn’t imagine that part?” Gaara asked, dropping his phone onto his chest. “As for you, you’re lucky that big dog didn’t decide you looked like a protein rich snack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shukaku began licking his own backside loudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re no help,” Gaara complained. He dialled Temari’s number.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you hit your head or something?” Neji demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His dog did not attack, Bruce,” Lee insisted. “It just scared him. We’ve had dogs like that before, they all warmed up to him eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re sure you’re not just saying that because of how quickly you warmed up to his owner?” Tenten teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The way you described him, he sounds like some type of ruffian,” Neji sniffed. “How do you know he’s not a serial killer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is not!” Lee cried. “He’s very sweet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I suppose you think I’m going to look after this lump while you’re out cavorting all evening?” Neji sniffed, gesturing at the dog sprawled across his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please?” Lee asked. “I’ll pick up some of those pastries you like tomorrow. Plus, you know Bruce loves spending time with Uncle Neji.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not,” Neji protested. “He’s hairy, he stinks, he won’t get off me, he slobbers all over my face, and he’s a giant crybaby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what Lee’s date is going to be saying by the end of the night,” Tenten snorted. Neji cackled and held his hand out. Bruce high fived him with his paw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, I’ll look after your awful dog for the evening,” Neji relented. “But those pastries better be freshly baked.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaara and Shukaku both managed to spend the afternoon asleep on the couch despite the morning’s excitement. Kankuro faithfully, if a little sadistically, fulfilled Gaara’s request to repeatedly call him until he answered in case he slept through all twenty of his alarms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rise and shine, small fry!” Kankuro’s voice bellowed through the phone, startling Shukaku. “You don’t want to be late for your dick appointment!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a first date, you slimeball,” Gaara muttered groggily, holding Shukaku at bay with one hand so he wouldn’t attack the phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” Kankuro demanded. “Temari said you talked to her for like an hour this morning about this guy’s arms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His dog is like a small bear, Kankuro,” Gaara insisted. “And he carries it like a baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I heard.” He could hear the smirk in Kankuro’s voice. “Listen, runt, my band’s playing at Sunagakure tonight. You should bring him to the show.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No offense, but your shrieking isn’t exactly romantic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not trying to set the mood for you, you asshole,” Kankuro snorted. “I just want to check this guy out, make sure he’s alright for my baby brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll ask him if he wants to go, but I’m not promising anything.” Gaara hesitated a moment. “Thanks, Kankuro.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, whatever.” There was a long pause, then a cough. “Stay safe, kid. I uh. . . love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, love you too,” Gaara mumbled. “I’ll text you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kankuro had woken Gaara up early enough that he had time for a proper shower, even with Shukaku attempting to attack the water as it hit the tiles. He brushed his teeth no less than three times, convinced that the morning’s coffee was still lingering on his breath, gave up on his hair, and managed to find an outfit that wasn’t coated with dog hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shukaku had fallen asleep at the foot of the bed and didn’t even complain when Gaara picked him up and put him in his crate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise you I’m coming back. Don’t wreck the apartment while I’m gone,” Gaara whispered, covering the crate over with a blanket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tenten was crouched in the hallway outside the living room, giggling behind her hands. She beckoned Lee over when he came down the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re on your way out, but look,” she whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neji was sprawled on the couch with Bruce draped across his lap, belly up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, I can’t stand this guy,” Neji sniffed. “I can’t believe all these women are competing for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re watching </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Bachelor</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Tenten snorted. She pulled her phone out to stealthily take pictures as Neji worked a brush through the shaggy fur on Bruce’s belly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really don’t know what they see in him. Other than money of course,” Neji told the dog. “Bruce, you must make sure you choose someone who loves you for who you are and sees you as the love of his life and not just an option.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenten nearly dropped her phone as she doubled over, laughing silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That goes for you too, Lee!” Neji called. “And shut up, Tenten.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee stuck his head into the room. “Oh no, Neji. I will have to buy you extra pastries. I am sorry that Bruce is invading your personal space again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neji paused his brushing and turned to glare at Lee. “I don’t appreciate sarcasm, you know. He smells like roadkill and I’m going to have to have these slacks dry cleaned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenten was rolling on the floor laughing by now, tears streaming down her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you even still here?” Neji snapped. “Chihuahua Boy awaits. Move it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lee was waiting at the entrance to the park where they had met that morning, well dressed and looking adorably nervous. Gaara’s stomach began fluttering the moment he saw him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look even better than you did in spandex,” he accidentally blurted out as Lee turned to greet him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee’s ears turned red. “You do too. I mean, um, no, I was the one wearing spandex. What I mean to say is you look very nice and I like you. Or, um, maybe something that sounds less stupid than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like you too,” Gaara replied breathlessly. “And you also look nice. . . I said that already, didn’t I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Lee beamed at him. “But I liked hearing it twice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood smiling at each other awkwardly for a few moments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You picked a restaurant?” Gaara finally asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, but I feel weird being the one to choose when you insisted on buying dinner,” Lee replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” Gaara said. “I don’t get out much, so I’d rather go somewhere you know is good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It definitely is good!” Lee exclaimed, nearly bouncing in place. Gaara fell into step alongside him, hurrying to keep up with Lee’s long stride as he told Gaara about the family who ran the restaurant and how he had gone to school with one of the chefs. Lee noticed Gaara struggling and slowed his pace until Gaara could stroll along comfortably beside him. The back of his hand brushed Gaara’s for a second and then pulled away. Gaara smiled up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was still looking up at him, admiring the way his eyelashes cast shadows over his cheekbones, when Lee came to a halt, standing very close to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Gaara asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we’re here,” Lee explained, gesturing at a sign over the door that read </span>
  <em>
    <span>Akimichi’s. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“That is, if you like. We could go somewhere else if you prefer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, this is perfect,” Gaara assured him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The restaurant was casual but cosy. As Lee had said, the entire staff seemed to know him and more than once, Gaara caught sight of faces peering at them from the kitchen. The food was every bit as good as Lee had promised him, even if the chef kept bringing them dishes Gaara didn’t remember ordering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara hadn’t expected this to go nearly so well. Normally he ran out of things to talk about and his dates ended awkwardly, but Lee seemed content to carry the conversation and talk about anything and everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He showed Gaara pictures of Bruce, told stories about his roommates and his many athletic endeavours,and asked Gaara questions about his own life that were attentive but somehow never seemed to be invasive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, as they were finishing their meal, Gaara tentatively brought up Kankuro’s band.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re called Puppet Master and if you’re into that sort of music, they’re actually really good,” he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what was on your shirt this morning,” Lee said. “The band name, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara nodded. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to, I just figured I’d ask since he invited us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would love to!” Lee assured him. “Truthfully, I have been really enjoying talking to you, and I would rather not call it a night just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara suddenly felt warm all over. “Let me just get the bill then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No bill for you, this one’s on us.” The chef appeared by the table by the table again to set down a plate of cakes shaped like dogs’ faces. “We’re just happy to see Lee, and to meet his new friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned at Gaara, patted Lee on the back, and then bustled away. Gaara glared at Lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did not know they would do that, I swear,” Lee whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Gaara assured him. “You’ll just have to let me get the next one too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hoped it wasn’t just his imagination that Lee looked so happy about that idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sunagakure was as dingy as ever, and packed with people. Kankuro’s set was just beginning as Gaara found them a nook near the bar where they would have a decent view of the stage without having to venture into the pit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t like the music, we can leave,” Gaara assured him, having to stand on his toes and yell as the first song began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee shook his head and leaned down next to Gaara’s ear to shout, “They are very energetic! I like it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was very close and smelled of barbeque and something soapy and clean. Gaara nodded and reached out tentatively. His hand found Lee’s back and rested there lightly. Lee shifted closer and let his arm settle around Gaara’s shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few songs, during which Gaara was pleased to notice Lee grinning and nodding along, Kankuro paused to take a drink of water and claw his long hair out of his face, leaving sweaty tracks through the purple face paint he wore on stage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned in close to the microphone and growled, “We’ve got a special guest tonight, guys. My little fucking brother is here for the show.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a smattering of whoops and applause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he’s brought a date with him!” Kankuro told the audience, grinning wickedly and waggling painted eyebrows. This pronouncement was met with more shouting and a few whistles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!!” Kankuro bellowed. “Make some noise for fucking Gaara!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowd cheered cooperatively. Lee turned bright red and leaned down to hide his face against Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara wasn’t sure whether he should thank Kankuro or kill him later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you’re saying your brother’s got more game than you?” the lead guitarist asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hope he’s got a better looking face,” the bassist added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And a much bigger dick!” The drummer shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eat shit, you guys,” Kankuro said good naturedly. “Especially you, Naruto, you fucking bitch. Anyway, that’s enough chit chat, this next song is called ‘Parasitic Insects.’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should at least say good night to him while I’m here,” Gaara told Lee at the end of the set. “Do you want to come backstage with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be awesome!” Lee shouted, voice still far too loud after the deafening music. “I would love to meet your brother, he seems like a lot of fun!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he’s something alright,” Gaara muttered. He began making his way through the crowd, then turned back and caught Lee by the hand. It was crowded in here; they wouldn’t want to get separated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They found his brother sitting on an amp, a sweating can of beer pressed against his equally sweaty face, paint melting down his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you like your shout out, shrimp?” Kankuro boomed. “Normally I charge people for those, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just glad you didn’t call me shrimp on stage,” Gaara grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kankuro stood up when he noticed Lee, hesitating just behind Gaara, still holding his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Kankuro, Gaara’s big brother.” He swaggered up to Lee and then paused. “Shit dude, he wasn’t kidding. You look like you could bench press a truck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee grinned at him and shrugged. “I just have a very large dog.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And by that he means. . .” the drummer gestured illustratively at the front of Lee’s pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naruto!” Lee cried, turning first pale and then extremely red.. “You cannot just say things like that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two know each other?” Kankuro asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure!” Lee replied smiling again, even if his face was still very pink. “We are dojo buddies!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Small world, huh?” Kankuro finally held out his hand for Lee to shake. “Nice to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re having a few drinks at my place!” Naruto piped up. “You guys should come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara grimaced. He had been to enough of the band’s post show parties to know that he would rather spend the rest of the evening repeatedly jamming a rusty fork into his eye socket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked over at Lee only to realize that Lee had been watching him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is kind of you to invite us,” Lee said. “But I have an early morning workout and need to start winding down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll walk you home,” Gaara said quickly. He turned and led Lee after him out of the bar before his brother and the band could say anything else embarrassing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you actually have an early workout?” Gaara asked once they were outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, no. It just seemed like you did not want to be dragged along to that party. I hope I did not overstep,” Lee replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all. Thank you, actually.” Gaara reached for Lee’s hand again, thrilled when Lee twined their fingers together and held on tightly. “So, I don’t actually want to go home yet. Do you maybe want to take a walk or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a lame suggestion and Gaara began mentally berating himself for it even as the words left his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would love to!” Lee all but shouted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ended up buying paper cups of coffee and walking together along quiet, darkened streets until they reached the park again. Lee didn’t let go of his hand even once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you said your dog was a rescue,” Lee said as they walked. “Where did you adopt him from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara stopped walking. “I didn’t really. It’s . . . a long story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at Lee, meaning to make some excuse, to change the subject, but when he opened his mouth, everything just came spilling out. He told Lee about finding Shukaku trapped inside the bathroom when he and his siblings had been called to clean out their father’s apartment after his death, about how he had cowered and snarled when they approached but been too weak to fight when they had bundled him up in a towel and taken him to a vet. Lee said nothing and just stroked the back of his hand with his thumb as Gaara told him about the past few weeks of trying to care for Shukaku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I never even wanted a pet. I’ve only just barely learned how to take care of myself properly,” Gaara finally said. There was a scratching in the back of his throat that warned him he was about to cry. Everything about this evening had been so perfect and now here he was about to spoil it by getting upset about the stupid dog. The thought made the stinging in his eyes worse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are doing so well though,” Lee murmured. “And you did the right thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara nodded, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay. “I couldn’t just leave him there like that. I know what he went through better than anybody. He needed me..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, come here,” Lee said softly. Gaara stumbled forward and found himself engulfed in strong arms, his head leaning on a broad shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is alright,” Lee told him. “You have done everything you can, and you have done so well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara nodded, breathing deeply until the lump in his throat started to subside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you do not have to do it alone,” Lee told him. “You have me to help you now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve only just met me,” Gaara pointed out, leaning back to look up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee smiled ruefully. “Yes, but I think I would like to stick around if you will let me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara didn’t know how to voice what he was feeling just then. The words </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes, please stay </span>
  </em>
  <span>stuck on the end of his tongue, so he stood on his toes and tried to press them against Lee’s mouth rather than speak them aloud. Lee seemed to understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over dinner, as he had watched Lee talk about Bruce’s misadventures as a puppy, Gaara had idly found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Enthusiastic, he had decided, energetic, probably loud, just like the way he spoke. Instead Lee kissed him back softly, holding Gaara’s face between his hands like he was something precious, exactly the way Gaara had imagined that a fairytale first kiss should be when he was young and still naive. He pulled Lee closer, his arms tight around his neck, deepening the kiss. One of Lee’s hands threaded into his hair, the other slid down to the small of his back, pressing his body flush up against Lee’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara wouldn’t let him go, couldn’t think of anything but him. Time slowed to a crawl then rush by too fast, and the next thing he knew, Lee was stumbling across the threshold of his apartment, with Gaara’s legs locked around his waist, carrying him just as easily as he had carried the dog. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Gaara muttered when his keys slipped from his grasp and clattered against the tile floor of the entryway. “If we wake Shukaku we’ll have problems.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee only nodded, nearly gasping for breath, and Gaara felt more than a little pleased with himself. Lee set him down and they tiptoed into his bedroom. Gaara grabbed him again the second the door was closed and  they fell in an untidy, needy heap across the foot of the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara was halfway through yanking Lee’s shirt over his head when they were interrupted by a vicious snarling, crunching, scraping sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee and Gaara froze, staring at each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” Lee asked slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Shukaku,” Gaara groaned. “Somehow he’s always able to get out of the crate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he . . . trying to chew through the door?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, hold on.” Gaara moved to roll off the bed. “Let me just try to convince him I’m okay in here. Maybe he’ll go back to sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew as soon as he said it that it was a lost cause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, do not worry,” Lee hopped off the bed and strode towards the door. “I will take care of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t -” Gaara started to say, but Lee was already reaching for the door handle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee smiled and waved away his concern before opening the door. He picked up Shukaku as the little dog came rocketing into the room, growling and snapping, and held him up at eye level. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara couldn’t hear the words Lee crooned to the small dog, he could only see that Lee was cradling him gently in his hands and appeared to be gazing directly into his eyes. Shukaku’s tail started to wag, slowly at first, then faster. His tiny body relaxed and he allowed Lee to snuggle him against his chest, licking his chin like a puppy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How in the hell did you do that?” Gaara could only stare at Lee in amazement as Lee grinned and held up his thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you. I am very good with dogs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Teach me everything you know,” Gaara demanded, then held up a hand when Lee opened his mouth to start talking. “But another time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would really like for there to be another time,” Lee told him tentatively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At this point, I think it’s pretty obvious that there will be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Lee blushed as though he wasn’t already standing shirtless in the middle of Gaara’s room, his pants only halfway done up. He moved to set Shukaku down and the chihuahua immediately began snarling and crying. Lee cuddled him up again and looked at Gaara for help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah he does that to me sometimes,” Gaara said. “But I’ve only ever seen him get clingy like that with me. Normally he won’t let anyone even touch him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do you do when he does this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. You’re stuck with him now until he decides he’s had enough.” Gaara laughed and rearranged himself so that he was lying on the bed properly, with his head on his pillow. He patted the space next to him. “Better make yourself comfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee grinned and laid down beside him. The little dog curled up against his chest began to snore loudly. “Well, I was hoping you would ask me to stay the night, though this is not quite what I had in mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b>Epilogue: One Year Later</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shukaku,” Gaara called softly into the darkened apartment. “Where are you, buddy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come back to bed,” Lee’s voice called sleepily from the other room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t seen Shukaku. He normally wakes me up around this time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, right. That is weird.” There was a rustling noise as Lee got up and traipsed into the hall rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Where could he be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go back to sleep, Lee. I’ll find him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaara wandered through the living room, making sure to look behind cushions and under furniture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you seen him, Bruce?” Gaara whispered to the enormous black dog curled up on his bed in the corner. There was a soft yip and a tiny, disgruntled, bug eyed face popped up out of the thick fur of Bruce’s belly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never mind,” Gaara whispered. Shukaku licked Gaara’s hand when he reached down to pat him, then tucked his head back under Bruce’s leg. His tiny tail was just visible beneath the mass of fur, wagging furiously.</span>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you're all as excited about bingo as I am! You can find me on <a href="https://lilac-writes.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> where I am always happy to hear from you! <b> Also, make sure you check out Sadface's <a href="https://flightlessdevotee.tumblr.com/post/631099941346050048/pet-dads-from-card-6-of-gaalee-bingo-its-the/">adorable art</a> of Gaara and Lee with Shukaku and Bruce!</b></p></blockquote></div></div>
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